I am an Agricultural and Resource Economist. My research looks at people's preferences for environmental outcomes with the aim to improve natural resource management decisions. Most of my research these days focusses on:

• Opportunities for climate change mitigation in agriculture
• Adoption of (sustainable) agricultural practices
• Interdisciplinary research
• Preferences for environmental outcomes, using non-market valuation

I studied Environmental Science with a major in Environmental Management at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. After briefly working at the Dutch Department of Foreign Affairs in The Hague and Beijing, I moved to Australia for a Masters of Economics and a PhD at the Australian National University in Canberra.

I started at the UWA School of Agricultural and Resource Economics (now UWA School of Agriculture and Environment) in July 2010. My expertise lies in interdisciplinary research, agricultural economics, climate change abatement, and non-market environmental valuation. Feel free to email me if you would like a copy of any of my research outputs.

• Director, Centre for Agricultural Economics and Development, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment

• Pro Vice Chancellor (Diversity & Inclusion)

• Chair, UWA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee

• Member, UWA Academic Board

It is important to me to deliver timely and thorough research that targets policy relevant environmental issues. My research looks at environmental management and sustainable land use practices, and integrates biophysical science and economics.

I have particular interests in
• Climate change mitigation in agriculture
• Values and preferences for landscape restoration
• Integrating non-market values of environmental goods and services into decision making

I am part of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy (CEEP) and inaugural Director of the Centre for Agricultural Economics and Development at the UWA.

In 2022-2023, I have been working on a Cooperative Research Centre proposal for Net Zero Emissions from Agriculture. I will update this page if we are successful.

A selection of current or recent projects:

• Using behavioural science to accelerate the uptake of new technologies in agriculture - with the ARC Industrial Transformation and Training Centre on Behavioural Insights for Technology Adoption (BITA) (supported by the Australian Research Council, in collaboration with QUT and UQ)
• BeefLinks: a multi-disciplinary research program that aims to improve the profitability and sustainability of beef production in northern Australia. Our team is particularly interested in the adoption outcomes (supported by Meat and Livestock Australia)
• Closing the loop: using Black Soldier Fly technology to convert livestock waste into high-value products (supported by the Australian Government's Rural Research and Development for Profit Program)
• Coolcrowd - Local crowdfunding for a low-emission society: Investigating the concept of local climate crowdfunding for Norway (supported by the Research Council of Norway)

I am Director of the Centre for Agricultural Economics and Development. We aim to do research that improves the sustainability and profitability of the agricultural sector. We have a specific interest in climate change mitigation, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable international development. You can find information about us on our website. Feel free to contact me about collaboration and research possibilities.

I have also done research on mine completion criteria, and the values that community members attach to different mine site rehabilitation options, that will be of interest to industry and government stakeholders. Please contact me for information.

Some recent grants:

• Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Program, ARC Training Centre for Behavioural Insights for Technology Adoption (lead by QUT), AU$4.28m (2022-2026)

• Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources: Rural Research and Development for Profit, Closing the loop: Black Soldier Fly technology to convert agricultural waste into high quality fertiliser and soil improvers, AU$2.08m (2019-2022)

• Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Award, Aligning social preferences and practice of mine site rehabilitation and mining offsets in Australia, AU$373,848 (2016-2021)

[for more information, access my Research Profile via the link on the bottom of this page]

There are always openings for talented Honours and Postgraduate students who wish to undertake research with me. Funding or cadet-ships are sometimes available for qualifying candidates.

Please contact me for opportunities if your interests match my research topics.

• Coordinator and lecturer - SCIE4403 'The Conduct, Ethics, and Communication of Science'

• Coordinator and lecturer - ENVT4421 'Fundamentals of Environmental Management'

July 2007 - June 2010
Australian National University: Lecturer and Teaching Assistant at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level for (i) the Crawford School of Economics and Government, (ii) the School of Economics, and (iii) the Fenner School of Environment

Dec 2006 - June 2010
Consultancies in Environmental Valuation, for example:
• Community values for New South Wales mining
• Community values for recycling Electronic Waste
• Non-Use Values of Victorian Public Land

Feb 2005 – Dec 2005
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
• Consultancy Development Economics: Study on Pro-Poor Growth at the Directorate International Co-operation in The Hague
• Project assistant Environment and Development at the Royal Dutch Embassy in Beijing

English
Dutch
French
German

My name is pronounced [m ah - R IH T]